No Days Off on New Year's for Law Enforcement Officers

GAINESVILLE - While north central Florida residents found different ways to celebrate New Year's, a few people actually have to spend this holiday at work... including police and sheriff's deputies.

The Christmas and New Year's holidays are often one of the busiest and most deadly times of the year for law enforcement officers. For Sgt. Frank Kinsey of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, working on a holiday is nothing new. The ten year veteran of ASO is the father of two children, including a 3-month-old son who is experiencing his first New Year's. Kinsey says missing these moments is often the hardest part of working holidays.

Kinsey says deputies typically respond to more domestic disturbance calls during these holiday breaks. He says the call volume typically picks up around 1 or 2 o'clock in the morning, as residents call in to report fireworks that are often mistaken for gunshots.